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QUICK SESSION UPDATE
This year we are seeing a surprising amount of party-line voting against education funding bills that have historically had broad bipartisan support.
Last week, the Virginia Department of Education testified in the House and Senate AGAINST education funding. Specifically, they testified against lifting the support cap and against funding the JLARC near-term recommendations (which would fix decades of chronic state underfunding). VDOE encouraged lawmakers to keep studying a now 2-year-old report on K-12 funding needs. VDOE has also been calling educators asking them to oppose bills that provide resources for improving math outcomes.
VDOE testimony opposing additional educational funding comes alongside the Governor's ask of $50M in handouts for private school families, and the roll-out of a new accountability system that will label more than 35% of Virginia's schools (~600+ schools) as "Off-Track" or "Needs Intensive Support".
PTA believes it's essential that we have a rigorous accountability system that provides parents with transparency into the academic performance of our students and schools. However, this new accountability system includes additional testing for students and metrics that have not been developed or tested - all of which have been announced too late in the school year for schools to adapt to the changing standards. There's a bill being debated that would delay implementation for 1-year which would enable families, schools, and the Department of Education to be on the same page and work together to improve outcomes for students and schools.
Virginia's students can't keep waiting for a study of a study! Funding schools based on revenue restrictions set in 2009 and using outdated staffing formulas does not drive academic success.
Share the calls to action below in your newsletters, social media posts, and legislator letters.
#TakeAction4Kids
#VirginiaPTAAdvocacy
#FundVirginiaSchools
#EducationOpportunity4All
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